This initiative is part of the 2019-20 WISE Accelerator Cohort.
What they do
AskMyClass helps teachers add social-emotional learning into their lessons, with minimal prep and training. AskMyClass is an affordable SEL assistant that makes it easy for K-5 teachers to learn, infuse, and measure vital life skills in their day. Teachers and students learn from web-based mini-lessons, and then practice multiple times a day by asking the classroom Alexa device for AskMyClass activities. We can report usage and impact each week to teachers and principals.
Why it matters
Social-emotional skills are the management, organizational, and collaborative skills we all need to succeed in school and work and contribute positively to our communities. They include emotion & stress management, relationship-building, decision-making, and creative problem-solving. The health and economic benefits are widely known, with every $1 invested in social-emotional learning (SEL) returning $11 to society. This is why SEL is mandated in 37 states in the U.S.A. Yet only 1 in 5 teachers feel well-prepared to teach these skills.
Traction so far
AskMyClass soft-launched in September 2018, testing ways to successfully integrate our ask-and-get activities on Alexa. In 10-months, 2,031 classroom teachers have used AskMyClass. In this new school year, we’re expanding our SEL activities to include interactive social stories and individual emotional support for students.